The Island of San Michele, Looking toward Murano

Van Wittel made at least two trips to Northern Italy between 1690 and 1694. He may have visited Venice more than once. He probably made there drawings from life and produced paintings based on them later in his studio in Rome. Van Wittel most likely executed dozens of views of and in Venice; the majority of them showing the city from the water. These compositions have turned into models for his Venetian successors, who were to produce comparable scenes for comparable clients.